This invention relates to an apparatus for the handling of paper documents. More specifically, the invention provides for the insertion, storage, and payout of banknotes.
Document handling devices are well known and ubiquitous in everyday life. These handlers are most often seen in banknote handlers such as automatic teller machines (ATM), machines that can take in paper banknotes and return change, and vending machines that take paper banknotes, to name but a few. These devices are not only capable of accepting banknotes but also returning or payout of banknotes that, for example, are not determined as valid.
In order to handle paper documents devices must capable of accepting, storing, and/or payout of the documents. This process may be referred to as xe2x80x9crecycling.xe2x80x9d Document recyclers ordinarily have different mechanisms to handle each of the steps of accepting, storing, and/or returning. Some recyclers may combine some or all of these functions into one or more modules within the document handler. Single function devices may be efficient in operation but necessarily occupy more space than combined function devices. Conversely, combined function devices, while space efficient, are not as effective as single function devices in one or more of the functions.
Some document recyclers today are constructed with a spiral storage concept. xe2x80x9cSpiral storagexe2x80x9d devices store documents by wrapping on cylindrical style cores. The cylindrical cores have at least three drawbacks. First, wrapping on the cores imparts a curl to the documents which makes subsequent handling more difficult as well as visually undesirable. Second, the documents have to be unwrapped. Spiral storage devices often require specialized removal apparata that makes manual replacement not possible. The process is time consuming and not easily accomplished where the document recycler is in unprotected or public places. Third, spiral storage necessarily occupies more space than documents that are stored substantially flat.
For insertion and payout, many recyclers use friction drive rollers to move the documents in and out of the unit whether the documents are stored flat or on spiral rollers. Conventional payout modules use friction feed principles to slide one note from the stack. These recyclers separate individual notes from the stack by relying on the differential friction between document and friction roller.
Further, many recyclers are not capable of returning the same document that was accepted. These recyclers may transport the documents directly storage. Payout is effected from other document storages within the document handler. Yet other recylcers use an intermediate area referred to as xe2x80x9cescrowxe2x80x9d to store documents prior to completion of a transaction. Canceled transactions cause return of the documents in the escrow. While this returns the documents inserted, an escrow requires additional space. Many escrow type recyclers are only capable of returning all or none of the documents in a transaction. Other escrow type recyclers may employ extra parts, such as plunger, to push the documents from within the escrow back to the user.
Consequently, there is a need for a document recycler that combines the functions of insertion, storage, and payout into one compact, space efficient device. Further, there is a need for a document recycler that does not substantially curl the documents, provides a means for manual removal of the documents, and returns all or some of the same documents inserted during a transaction.
The present invention has been developed to overcome the disadvantages and limitations of known document recyclers, including those discussed above, and to generally fulfill a need in the art for a document recycler that provides for the addition, storing, and extraction of documents. This apparatus combines the function of a last-in/first-out (LIFO) recycler, a payout device, and a cashbox in one unit and facilitates manual replenishing of documents. Addition, storage and extraction of the documents are controlled by coordinated motions between a drive roller, a diverter, and flaps.
A document is added to a document, stack by pivoting a first flap downward from an initial position to tilt the document stack to create a gap between the document stack and a drive roller. A document to be added to the stack is then inserted into the gap. Next, the first flap is rotated upward, allowing the document stack to tilt back and capture the document between the drive roller and the document stack. A second flap is then rotated downward to tilt the document stack to create a gap between the document stack and a diverter. Rotation of the drive roller transports the document so that the additional document is substantially centered over the document stack with the leading edge of the additional document resting on the second flap and the trailing edge resting on the first flap. Rotating both the first and second flaps upward away from the document stack causes the leading and trailing edges of the document to move past the flaps and rest on the document stack.
The recycler extracts a document from the stack by rotating the second flap to restrain movement of the leading edge of the documents in the document stack. The drive roller rotates to lift the trailing edge of a topmost document from the document stack. The first flap then rotates to separate the remainder of the document stack from the topmost document and the drive roller. Further rotation of the drive roller causes the topmost document trailing edge to move between the drive roller and the diverter. The diverter is then pivoted to capture the trailing edge, of the topmost document between the drive roller and the diverter. Rotating the drive roller transports the topmost document along the diverter bottom surface and away from the document stack.
It will be understood that the recycler eliminates the need for an intermediate escrow as well as a plunger commonly used in prior document recyclers. Further, because the documents are stored in a substantially flat orientation, curling of documents is minimized in comparison to recyclers employing spiral storage techniques or wrapping of stored documents on cylindrical or other curvilinear type cores. It will be appreciated that flat storage of documents also maximizes the usage of space designated for storage of the documents. A feature of the LIFO recycler is that the user is returned the same document in the case of a transaction cancellation. This features minimizes the possibility of a user inserting a fraudulent document or banknote and receiving a valid document or banknote upon cancellation of the transaction.